your name in stars
by symphonies of you
Summary: "They can't hear anything and don't see anything but each other. It's just them and only them that exist in that moment." Written for the "Song of the Day Challenge" in the NGF Forum. Mainly Hugo-centric until the end. ::One-shot::HugoOC::NewGen::


**Okay, so this is my HugoOC entry for the Song of The Day Challenge (July 26) in the NGF Forum. Hope you enjoy this bit.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Obviously.**

* * *

><p>"<em>So much bigger than I ever dreamed my heart ever would<em>

_I love you this big._

_And I'd write your name in stars across the sky_

_If I could, I would."_

**-I love you this big by Scotty McCreery-**

-:-

It's summertime, the summer before fifth year. Oh, its endless, gloriously _hot_ days make Hugo and Ariana pine for the start of the school year already. They've taken to swimming in the creek behind his house all day long and eating freshly-picked blueberries with loads of whipped cream—_Ari's favourite_—or playing Quidditch, which he's no good at, with the rest of his cousins at the Potters' Manor under the sweltering sun. He's incredibly jaded even with Ari, his best friend, around.

_And, of course, no one but Ari bothers to play chess with him._

She's coming out of the creek sopping wet, and she shakes her long blonde hair like a wet dog, causing him to laugh at the sight of her. Ari shoots him a wry smile before grabbing her _redandgold_ towel to dry herself off. He gapes at seeing her tiny midnight-blue bikini look so unfairly _good _on her lean body, which, of course, has perfect curves in all the right places. Merlin, he's seen her with a bikini on loads of times, but it's like he's seeing her for the _first time_.

_Oy, stop checking her out. This is your best friend you're ogling, who so happens to have very nice legs…oh goodness. SNAP OUT OF IT, Hugo! _he tells himself.

"Nice view, isn't it?" Ari asks with a smirk.

He looks away and feels a Weasley blush creeping onto his freckled face. "Yes, the creek looks mighty fine today with its sparkling, crystalline waters that are _ohsovery _blue," he counters.

She giggles at his response. "Well then. Finally noticed my obvious good looks, have you? Took you long enough," she says.

"Ha! What good looks? All I see is my best friend who looks like a wet, shivering dog right now," he says grinning.

She pouts and stomps off, calling off her shoulder, "I'm not sharing my blueberries with you any longer since you're going to be that rude."

He smiles at her declaration and remains by the creek for a few more minutes to think. He's really quite shaken by his reaction to seeing her look…_pretty_. Ari's like a sister to him; that's how close they are. They bicker and joke around like an old couple; that's the way they roll. Ariana Katherine Wood's always been gorgeous—_the spitting image of her mother but with her father's eyes_—but it never really registered in his mind until now. Oh bloody hell, what happened to his mum and dad is happening to Ari and him now. This sure isn't going to have a good outcome.

…

{_Fifth Year_}

And they're finally boarding the train for another (**full of squabbles and pointless arguments**) exciting year. He helps Ari lift her trunk up the steps even though he knows she can do it herself, unearthing a small smile from her; it's been a habit of his—_trying to be a gentleman for once_—ever since second year. They find an empty compartment somewhere in the middle of the train and claim it any of his bothersome cousins can. She's oddly quiet, so he decides not to irritate her as he usually does and just look outside the windows at the green rolling hills of the countryside rushing by.

It's when the lady with the food trolley comes by their compartment that she finally speaks as Hugo gets up to buy some Chocolate Frogs, Liquorice Wands, and two bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. He hands her a Liquorice Wand when she starts talking.

"That ghastly girl, I think her name's Marie, is telling everyone I'm just a slut that got onto the team by…by…"she trails off about to burst into tears.

He glares at the mention of that girl's name. Marie Henderson is in their year, an insipid girl terribly fond of gossip. Sure she's somewhat attractive, but she's a whiny brat who desperately seeks attention at any cost. And she annoys the bloody hell out of him because she's always trailing after him like some bloody lost puppy.

"By seducing James…"she finishes miserably, probably thinking about James' reaction if the rumour got to him. James, his cousin, has been captain for two years since Michael, Ari's brother, left, and it'll be his third and last year captaining this year.

He reaches forward and hugs Ari to him. Ari's really sensitive but you wouldn't know it by her bright, I-don't-give-a-crap exterior around everyone. She lays her head against his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat—_it's strangely reassuring to her_—as she silently cries.

He determinedly vows, "If anyone's the slut, it's _her_. You're far from being attention-seeking like her; you're my best friend and obviously amazing and all. And I'll murder that girl. I'll find her in her sleep and stab her to death. Wait, forget what I just said; I'm _not_ going to stalk that creep. I'll…I'll…I'll…"

Ari beams at his words and begins giggling at how unbelievably protective he is of her; she loves that he always knows how to cheer her up. He grins back at her and laughs along with her. And he notices her head's still on his chest, listening to the frenzied rhythm on his heart.

"Anyways Ari, my heart will _always _beat for you, 'kay?" he tells her with a serious look on his face.

She slowly mumbles, "Yeah, sure."

He wonders what he said that caused her cheeks to slightly redden.

…

They're in the library, which is so quiet you could hear a quill drop, completely engulfed by books piled up all around them when it happens. He's doing his essay on the Draught of Living Death with his tongue slightly poking out and brow furrowed in concentration while she's busy muttering to herself, flipping through enormous books and memorising the complicated charms for tomorrow's Charms exam. She pauses in mid reading and has a thoughtful look on her face. He doesn't notice her surreptitiously glancing at him with a curious glint in her dark blue eyes. He finally looks up after a moment of not hearing her talk to herself and find her gazing at him with an unreadable look in her eyes.

"What?" he irritably asks and goes back to writing the last seven centimetres of his essay.

She hesitantly questions, "Well, I was wondering, since we're already fifteen, if er…d'?

She says this all too fast for him to comprehend what she just said. He asks, "Come again?"

She opens her mouth to speak again when they hear a loud crash. There is suddenly a lot of yelling and laughter, and Hugo stand up to see that his older cousin, Fred, had caused all the commotion. He shakes his head and tells Ari that it's just his cousin Fred up to no good again. But for some reason, she's got a keen, excited look on her face and she looks over to where Fred's crouching behind a tall bookshelf. Hugo frowns. Why would she seem happy that Fred has disrupted the wonderful silence of the library?

Fred finally stops hiding and slowly budges towards them. Hugo groans because he'll never get the essay done before midnight now. Not if Fred Weasley II, a prankster in his seventh year, is here to interrupt them.

"Hullo Ari, Hugo. What are you doing here in the library? _Studying_?" he asks with a horrified look upon his face.

His best friend laughs for some odd reason he can't understand. "We're here to actually _study_, Fred. Some of us actually pay attention in class and work for our marks."

Fred looks at her with mock indignation, "My dear Ariana, I _do _pay attention in class. Classes are just too boring and need to be livened up with some amusement, don't you think?"

"I suppose so," she says breathily and flutters her eyelashes.

Hugo looks on with evident astonishment at their continuous flirting as Fred winks at her and strolls out of the library. He laughs at seeing Madam Pince berating Fred for causing a terrible disturbance in her precious library on his way out. Turning around in his seat to face the table and attempt to finish his pointless essay for Potions, he become aware of a love struck look inflicting Ari's pale face.

He crossly snaps, "Bloody hell, _are you MAD?_ What were you _thinking _flirting with him like that? "

She quickly loses her infatuated, dreamy look and snaps back, "Well, it so happens that I might very well be in LOVE with Fred Weasley. Has that ever crossed your mind?"

Thus begins a shouting match, but this one is the worst by far. It procures many tears (Ari) and impossibly angry scowls (Hugo).

"How could you possibly think that Fred, _our Freddie_, could break my heart? He's too sweet and kind for that!" she cries.

"You don't _know _him like I do. He's broken many girls' hearts before if you haven't already noticed by now," he responds.

"I know, but he wouldn't dare break _mine_," she shouts.

They don't speak anymore after that. He keeps looking over at her, but she just has a mixed lot of perplexed and raging emotions in her eyes. Why is he so overprotective and defensive when it comes to Ari? He reckons it's because he's really close to her, but that's not all there is. There's something more to explain this unfathomable feeling rising inside of him, but he can't figure it out. He's not completely certain that it's just loyalty anymore because he's never quite felt like this about anyone else in his family.

…

It's February, and it's the fourth Quidditch match of the year today: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Hufflepuff had lost the first match to Ravenclaw, who got pummelled by Slytherin in the second match. And Gryffindor had won the third match against Hufflepuff, no surprise there. Ari's playing today (she's a Chaser), but for the first time he thinks he's not going to go watch her and cheer her on.

They haven't been speaking for nearly a month now, and it's been absolutely dreadful without her by his side. He's resorted to hanging out with Lily, his cousin in Slytherin, and Albert, the nicest Slytherin there is, but it's not the same. He misses making her smile and laugh constantly. He misses her teasing. He misses how she makes him feel good about himself. And she makes him forget how much he hates everything about himself. He misses seeing that heart-shaped freckle, her only freckle, under her left eye. And most of all, he misses having her in his arms.

He finally decides at breakfast that he'd go to the match and cheer her on because she's Ari and she's still his best friend whether she likes it or not. When their eyes meet, she's flying on her broom and he's in the stands, it's like a peaceful, still moment just between the two of them. He smiles at her, and she smiles back. All is forgotten. All is well.

And, of course, Gryffindor wins 200 to 60. With a Potter, a Wood, and a Weasley—_James, Ari, and Fred_—on the team, how could they not?

Later that night, she confronts him about Fred once again.

"Are you fine with Fred and me? Because, well, we've sort of got together in your 'absence'," she nervously asks.

He chuckles a little, "As long as he doesn't break my best friend's heart, I'm good."

And that is the moment he realises he's fallen _hard_ for his best friend.

…

{_Sixth Year_}

He knows she doesn't mean to but she keeps rambling on and on about Fred, about his looks, about his accomplishments, about his charm. Hugo's tired sick of it and wonders what's wrong with his own long red, flaming hair that flops in his dark brown eyes, his incapability to stop growing, his being unbeatable at chess, his strength in Defence against the Dark Arts, his shyness. He hates all of those things about himself, but…he hates that he'll never good enough even more. He hates that Fred, who's graduated and is working in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, always gets all the attention. And he's just plain Hugo, who's done nothing in life to make himself known.

And he hates that everyone only knows him as Rose Weasley's little brother and the son of two-thirds of the Golden Trio, Ron and Hermione. He's got a lot of expectations to live up to, and he hates the pressure. All he's good at is strategy, annihilation of people and objects, and staying invisible.

"Can you _believe _it's our eighth month anniversary in three weeks? Fred's dropping by Hogsmeade to have lunch with me! Isn't that so sweet of him?" she squeals.

He frowns. Bloody hell, Ari's never been quite the feminine squealing girl giggling over a boyfriend, but that's what she's doing right now. Ari's always been that tough, petite girl that could hold her own in a fight and showed no fear, only anger and determination. He remembers seeing Ari for the first time on the train. Her long blonde hair was in braids and her dark blue eyes shone with excitement unlike his dark brown eyes, which emanated dread and anxiety. He remembers that she offered him a seat in her compartment that was unoccupied except for herself. He remembers being thankful and excited that he made a new friend. He remembers her amiably talking about wanting to be different and _exotic _with black hair and coffee-coloured skin rather than her girly blonde tresses and milk-coloured skin. He remembers that she hated looking like a doll, which was what her relatives and strangers compared her to.

Now she has a faraway, content look upon her smiling face, probably dreaming about his stupid arse of a cousin. He scowls at remembering that he overheard a drunken Fred telling James about picking up a new girl he met in his dad's joke shop and how Ari was just a tease that got old. He wanted to punch him over and over again, pummel him to pieces, beat him up until he starts crying for his mummy. But he knew he couldn't hold his own against Fred, even if he was drunk.

So he had slipped away, like the coward he was, hoping he'd get the chance to tell Ari. Sometimes he wonders why the Sorting Hat placed him in Gryffindor if he's always so scared.

_And now, it's been nearly three months._

"Er, there's something I reckon you ought to know," he unsurely begins.

"Yes?" she mutters, still far, far away in a distant land.

"Well, I heard over the summer that erm…well. Fred's been, er, sorta seeing another girl? I heard him blabbing to James about it when he was drunk…"he trails off when he sees her looking extremely furious and disbelieving.

"Are you trying to dissuade me from being with Fred _again_? Hugo, we've gone over this SO MANY TIMES. Fred would NEVER do that to me! That's completely low…quite unlike Fred. What in the name of Merlin has gotten into you lately?" she yells, fuming over what Hugo has said.

"I'm…I'm just telling you the truth; that's what he said. I heard that wanker telling James…" he replies lamely.

"I CAN'T _BELIEVE _YOU, HUGO! So maybe you were delusional that day. The summer heat does that to everyone at one point. But that doesn't give you the right to tell me lies," she shouts shrilly.

"I'm _not _telling lies, Ari! I'm just trying to warn you like a good best friend," he tells her.

"I DON'T NEED A PRAT LIKE YOU TO WARN ME! Those are obviously lies, not the truth, Hugo," she screams back at him.

"You're calling _me _a prat? FINE, THEN! If you'd rather trust your silly, precious little _boyfriend_, then I'm no best friend of yours anymore," he shouts back at her.

He walks away with heat rising in his face and threatening to colour his face purple and red.

"Hugo…please don't go," she murmurs when he's far enough away.

…

He's somehow an item with Marie Henderson even though she's a total cow. He reckons it's because he wants to experience love for once—_and she's a pretty good kisser_—but he realises it's because he wants to make Ari jealous. Hugo doesn't know how his mind works, but that's the plan it came up with to make her resentful. And it worked…a little. Mostly, it backfired. He feels ashamed of himself whenever he sees her pretty azure eyes looking stunned and hurt at the sight of Marie and him.

He confronts his sister Rose, who he's never been that close to, about his circumstances. Rose has a sad, pitying look on her lightly freckled face. She says that she's in the same situation too minus the "dating a crazy madwoman" part. Apparently, she's also gotten into a row with Scorpius Malfoy, her best friend and rival since first year, and she's feeling rather miserable too. And, of course, Scor's going out with the cruellest, snobbiest girl in her year. Hugo feels a bit better now that he knows someone's with him in his misery. She tackle hugs him and murmurs that she'll always be there for him even if he's a nuisance at times. He lets out a laugh and gives way to a small grin at her words.

Yes, he feels awful for giving into Marie's unswerving attentions plied onto him because Marie was the one who kept spreading spiteful rumours about Ari. But he doesn't exactly know how to break up with her. In truth, he's a bit _scared _of what her reactions would be because Marie can be a bit…_intense_.

So he puts up with Marie's antics and her dragging him into broom cupboards to snog him. He puts up with her constant chatter and annoying sound of her laughter. He puts up with her showing up wherever he is and screaming, "HUEY! I've missed you! I haven't seen you for an hour, and it's been _so _long!"

Hugo's a right _coward_, he is.

…

It's three weeks after their fight, which tells him that today's Ari's and Fred's eighth month anniversary. Hugo's desperate, though he feels guilty and selfish for feeling that way, for _FredandAri_ to be over because he wants _HugoandAri _back. He wonders if their date will end in a good way like it usually does or a bad way. Unfortunately, it turns out to be the latter.

He's in the corner of the common room talking to his sister in a hushed conversation, both of them waiting for Ari to come back from her date. Hugo's really glad that his sister's backing him up these days, and he forgives her for tormenting and taunting him when they were children. After all, siblings were meant to fight, forgive, and forget. It's a recurrent progression over the years.

Rose doesn't like the way Fred treats girls either. He's even worse than James, renowned heartbreaker, frivolous prankster, and Fred's partner in crime. She feels a bit…_offended_ and disgusted by his actions over the years; a lot of girls that shared her dormitory had fallen for his charm and had their hearts broken in the process. His sister had to deal with ceaseless flooding of tears and bad language for days from the girls; in short Fred never stuck to one girl. And they both doubt that his father knows what's going on.

They suddenly hear loud sobbing and screaming. Ari's screaming Hugo's name. He quickly pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and ran to where Ari was hugging her knees and crying. He plops down next to her. Her eyes are a bit swollen and red from crying, but she still looks really beautiful—_did he really just think that?_—to him.

He's not sure how to begin, but his mouth betrays him. "What exactly happened, Ari?" he softly asks.

Her red-rimmed accusing eyes look up at him, and she replies, "You were right about Fred. Does that make you happy?"

He frowns, "Bloody hell, of course not. If you're not happy, then I'm not happy. C'mon, let's go to the kitchens."

Suddenly, Marie emerges out of nowhere and demands, "What are _you _doing with _my _boyfriend, Wood?"

"Oh, bugger off Henderson," she snaps with a fragile look in her eyes that suggests she's about to break down.

"Let's go before she gets _really _angry," he mutters and starts hurrying her away with his long fingers gripping her trembling shoulders.

"HUEY! What are you doing with that girl? Oy, don't you _dare _leave me! If you leave with that horrid girl, we are _so _done!" she angrily shouts with a look of trepidation flitting across her face.

He shrugs and leads Ari hand in hand through winding passageways and narrow corridors and many flights of stairs until they reach the painting of a bowl of fruits. Her eyes widen when he sees the painting open by his tickling the pear. There are literally _hordes _of house-elves ready to serve them. He politely requests two bowls of blueberries and loads of whipped cream as they sit down at a table. The kitchen is enormous to her eyes because she's never seen it before. A roaring fire is blazing in the heated furnace, and there's a bustling of house-elves everywhere you look. The plates, dishes, and silverware are washing, cleaning, and drying themselves, and they magically float into the cupboards. There are countless ovens and stoves being occupied by platters of food being prepared for tomorrow's meals. It's truly a magnificent sight to see _so much food_ in one place. Oh yes, the two of them specialize in eating.

Two very large bowls of blueberries with whipped cream—_and a bowl of extra whipped cream requested by Ari_—appear in a matter of seconds. He graciously thanks the house-elf ("You're very welcome, Mister Weasley!" squeaked the house-elf.) who delivered it.

"So, _yes_ you were right. He's been cheating on me with Melina Thomas, that foul git. Melina freaking Thomas who so happens to be _three bleeding years_ older than him. Why, Hugo? _Why me_?" she sniffles with pain clouding her eyes.

"'Cause he's a complete arse, that's why. He didn't realise what he had with you, the kindest, most amazing girl I've ever had the chance to meet," he replies, hoping that'll console her.

Alas, it didn't. "If I was really all what you just said, why did Fred drop me for another girl? Am I repulsive or something?" she mumbles.

"NO! Er…you're the prettiest girl I've ever met. No joke there," he ardently responds.

"D'you _really _mean that, Hugo?" she inquires with wide eyes.

"Yeah," he mutters with his face rapidly reddening. Curse that stupid Weasley blush.

"Oh. _Thank you_, I guess," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Well, I suppose you're welcome," he speaks a few moments after.

"And, er, this is very hard for me to do but er…_I'm sorry, Hugo_," she mutters with her face cast down towards her empty plate.

He hid a smile. Ari's never been too good at apologising; it's usually Hugo who contritely apologises first when they get into rows.

"Apology accepted. I missed you a lot, Ari," he replies.

"Missed you too," she says, initiating a long, heartfelt embrace that conveyed all of the emotions felt in the past three weeks.

Obviously, Fred and Ari are broken up, and Hugo and Marie are _clearly _over.

So, they're officially _HugoandAri_ again.

…

It's summer once more. And she's staying over at his house for the summer again. They're catching up on time they lost with each other. Yes, they're having the time of their lives talking late into the night, laughing about the silliest things they did as children, challenging each other to eating contests. So far, to Hugo's embarrassment, Ari has won most of the eating contests. Probably because he doesn't really fancy apple pies, which is what most of their eating contests, sadly, involved. And they've been doing the craziest things they've ever done this summer.

Yesterday, they Apparated to the Forest of Dean—his parents were at work—and tried to find a hippogriff and ride it like his uncle Harry had during his Care of Magical Creatures lesson in his third year. Evidently, they were unsuccessful though they _nearly _caught one.

Tonight, they're doing something simple yet spectacular. On the hill near the creek in the softsoft_soft _grass. _Stargazing_.

"Ooh, look at that pretty star over there! I reckon it's the brightest one in the sky," Ari says, pointing at a significant star in the distance.

"Yeah, I see it. My mum told me that its name is Sirius. Sometimes…sometimes I imagine it actually _is_ Uncle Harry's godfather watching over us," he murmurs.

There's a moment of quiet and pensive thoughts.

"I see a constellation over there…I think it kinda looks like a bear," she speaks after a few minutes, trying to break the silence.

"Yep, it looks just like you, Ari," he says with a little, crooked smile.

"I do _not _look like a _bear_, Hugo Septimus Weasley!" she exclaims.

"Ari the bear—it's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?" he amusedly continues, blatantly ignoring her.

She lets out a giggle and tries to punch him. He dodges her fist and bursts out laughing at her first time failing to injure someone. Ari's got a playful gleam in her blueblue_blue _eyes and a meaningful smirk on her face.

_Oh Merlin, no_, he thinks. He _knows _that face.

She crashes onto him, and, Merlin, she's tackling him to the ground. Bloody hell, _she's on top of him_. It's really wrong but…it feels kind of nice. He's studying the contours of her face that he has memorised soso_so _well. The little scar on her right cheek that she got from being hit by a Bludger in fourth year, that heart-shaped freckle under her left eye, her perfectly—_well, to him everything about her is perfect_—arched eyebrows, the dimple on her right cheek when she's grinning from ear to ear. Hugo's only known her for six years, but it feels like he's known her forever.

Ari has noticed that he stopped protesting and squirming at her not-so-surprise attack. She's looking down at him with a strange, bewildered look on her face. They just lay there, Ari inadvertently still on top of Hugo, for a few minutes and stare at each other. They can't hear anything and don't see anything but each other. It's just them and only them that exist in that moment.

A rustling in the bushes startles them, and Ari hastily gets off of him with a dark blush swathing her cheeks. Hugo runs his hand through his shaggy red hair in nervousness. They mutter a quick "Goodnight," and hurry off in opposite directions to their respective bedrooms.

…

{_Seventh Year_}

So they don't get Head Boy and Girl badges at the end of summer, as expected. Neither of them have top marks in all of their classes anyways, so they weren't really expecting it. But he could see the disappointment in his mother's eyes even though she tried to hide it. He's always been like his father in his studies anyways, but he's a bit smarter. And Ari has always been more focused on Quidditch than school. So, unfortunately, they won't have an excuse to sneak around the halls at night because they don't patrol.

…

It's a Saturday, and they're alone in the common room. They're playing Exploding Snap when she gets that "brilliant" idea to paint her fingernails and toenails. She usually abhors that kind of thing but she's in a crazy, impetuous mood today. So, of course, she gets Hugo to do it for her. They nick her dorm mate's infinite supply of nail polish and sift through the different colours. She can't decide between dark cherry red and burnished gold, so he says he'll paint her nails _redgoldredgold_—alternating House colours for each finger and toe.

As he carefully goes over her thumbnail with red, he's lost in his thoughts and she's lost in hers. Ari's watching him paint her fingernails soso_so _skilfully and precisely. She's about to tease him for being a girl in disguise because of his precision and perfection with this interesting task but she prefers to just watch him in his concentration. His cute, shaggy red hair falling in his darkdark_dark _brown eyes that remind her of melted chocolate, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, his teeth biting his bottom lip, his slim, long fingers gripping nail polish brush so loosely, the lines around his almond-shaped eyes.

He's been her best mate since…_forever. _They know each other so well, better than they know themselves. It's absolute madness being the daughter of Oliver Wood and Katie Bell, two renowned Quidditch players that used to play for Puddlemere United. Hugo's so down-to-earth and helps her be herself, and she's glad that he's her anchor that holds her in place in this wretched world. She's eternally grateful that he's always there for her or else she thinks she'd drown in her stupid, bloody tears when she's upset. And Merlin, she gets upset _a lot_. Everyone thinks she's this happy-go-lucky girl, but really she's resentful and careless. She doesn't think she'd survive without her best friend by her side.

But recently she has been feeling something a bit beyond _platonic and friendly _for Hugo. It's a strange, perplexing emotion that infiltrates her mind and heart, and she doesn't know what to make of it. She thinks it may be _love_, but she's sure she loved Fred and she never felt this way about him. That intangible thing has a strong, iron fist around her heart, and it squeezes her insides till she's almost incapable of breathing when she sees Hugo looking or smiling at another girl.

She watches him _brushstrokelayer _her last toenail with holds back a giggle as he blows on her nails to make them dry faster because his breath tickles her hands and feet. Wondering what he's thinking, she impulsively leans forward and kisses him on his right cheek as a thank you.

…

Madam Pince doesn't notice they're still there when she shuts the library down for the night. They grin at each other and silently high-five each other. Then, they continue working on essays and projects for Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. The two of them finally finish their work a few hours later and don't realise that it's two in the morning. When Hugo looks at the clock and notices the time, he's alarmed and starts madly shouting about how they'll get caught by Umby, the caretaker, and they'll be doomed. Ari sniggers at his distress and gently tells him that they'll just have to be really quiet and hope for the best.

They race along the halls as noiselessly as they can, but after a few minutes they hear faint footsteps and a meow. It's Umby and his vile cat, Noreen. Hugo and Ari look at each other with dismay and duck into the nearest corridor and into a small alcove. They frantically squeeze into the small, tight space of the alcove and hope their laboured breaths won't give them away. Their bodies are pressed against each other, and he's tingling from the close contact. Bloody hell, he fancies her a lot more than he dreamed.

_They wonder why they always get into the most awkward, nerve-wracking situations like this._

It is like that night under the stars all over again. They barely hear the nasal voice of Umby in the distance or the irritating meow of Noreen. All they see is each other; it's terribly cliché but Merlin. It's crazy but true. They finally realise the hugeness of it all, of what they're feeling for each other. But they're both too afraid to admit it, too afraid to tell each other. He loves her more than he thought he did, but he's uncomfortable like his father when it comes to something impalpable like love. He's terrified of her reaction if she didn't like him back, which was a hugehuge_huge _possibility because almost _nothing _ever goes right for him. Ari…she's never really liked the concept of the abstract, especially something like love. She likes things that are firmly set in concrete, things she can see, feel, and touch. She refuses to believe in love; she only takes a mild fancy to boys with the exception of Fred, who she thought she _actually loved_. That was when she swore she'd never "fall in love" ever again.

She tells herself that Hugo's a really amazing best friend, the best a girl could have but…she kind of doubts that he's only a _friend _to her now. Ariana doesn't want to confess that she may possibly in love with him because she hates everything that's cliché. She likes being original, being her, being new-fangled. She doesn't want to fall for her best friend like in those romance novels she secretly reads (it would ruin her reputation as an anti-romantic), but she knows that she already has. Probably.

She's so close; he could almost kiss her if he leaned in a little. But he doesn't, he doesn't want to ruin their friendship, he doesn't want to ruin what they have. Finally, they hear Umby far off somewhere else muttering, "Let's go, Noreen. Whoever those wretched kids were, they're gone now, my sweet."

They both let out a breath of relief that they didn't know they were holding. They twist their way out of the cramped alcove and dash into the Gryffindor tower ("Hungarian Horntail," Hugo mutters.), into the common room. They mutter a swift "Goodnight," and take off in opposite directions to their dormitories.

Yep, it's definitely déjà vu.

…

Little did they know that his cousin Lily and Albert are planning to shove them into a broom cupboard and get them to finally realise that they _both _feel the same way about each other. Lily's sick of how oblivious they are and devises a foolproof plan to get them together. She hopes that Hugo trusts Albert enough to follow him to the kitchens, where there's a nearby broom cupboard.

A note floats toward her table in Transfiguration, the only class she doesn't have with Hugo.

On the outside it says:

_Hugo told me to give this to you._

_-Lily P._

She opens the folded piece of parchment and silently reads it to herself.

_Hey Ari,_

_Meet me in the kitchens for a snack before dinner. Be there at 4:30 p.m._

_Hugo._

She checks the time on the clock and sees that it's 4 p.m. She smiles to herself; it's so like Hugo to do something last-minute, to do something thirty minutes before the appointed time. They're dismissed in a few minutes, and she grabs her book bag and hurries out to the kitchens. Ari likes to be on time.

…

Hugo's working in the library when Albert slides into the seat. He's so surprised to see him there; he hasn't talked to the quiet Slytherin for nearly two years. And he feels bad. He tries to engage Albert in a conversation, but Albert doesn't say much. He seems a bit fidgety like he has somewhere else he needs to be. Hugo frowns; something doesn't seem right. He asks Albert what's wrong, but he just shrugs with a wordless answer. Hugo sighs and goes back to reading about defensive spells; out of the corner of his eye he notices Albert taking a quill and parchment out to begin writing. He figures it's probably an essay for Charms that's due tomorrow and shrugs it off.

Fifteen minutes later, Albert clears his throat and softly asks, "Wanna go to the kitchens and grab something to eat?"

Hugo answers, "Sure, why not?" and follows him out of the library, unaware of what's awaiting him.

…

Ari's walking as fast as she can down the hallways and hidden passageways she can remember from Hugo. She's almost there when suddenly a hand grabs her mouth and that person disarms her. She is about to deliver a punch that gets people into the Hospital Wing for a bloody nose when she gets shoved into a nearby broom cupboard. She curses herself for being so mindless of her surroundings, and her eyes widen when she realises her captor is Lily herself. Lily's grinning at her and she crows in a sing-songy voice, "Don't worry. Hugo will be here soon, so you won't be alone in here."

She snarls at Lily, "Get me out of this bloody broom cupboard _now_!"

Lily just smiles at her. "It's charmed so that it'll only be open when two people kiss. Sorry Ari," she divulges.

Ari gapes at her when she realises the reason for all of this. "You want me to kiss _Hugo_? Bloody hell, that's so wrong!" she shrieks.

_Curse Lily and her Slytherin traits._

Lily skips away with a smirk on her face. Ari will _thank _her when they get together. Now, all she has to do is wait for Hugo and Albert.

…

For some bizarre reason, Albert's trailing behind him. He thinks that something's seriously up now. He's about to turn around and ask Albert face-to-face what's troubling him when he feels someone, namely Albert, thrusting him a bit off course towards..._a broom cupboard_? Lily unexpectedly appears out of nowhere and disarms him before he can curse (**injure**) them away from him. It takes both Lily and Albert to push him into the broom cupboard where someone familiar is waiting for him. It's Ari looking miserable and panicky.

"Bloody hell, why exactly are we in here, Ari?" he demands.

"Use your brains, Hugo! Why do people usually go into broom cupboards?" she asks.

"Er…to snog? Still not getting it," he answers confusedly.

"Are you really that _daft_, Hugo? They want _us _to snog, you dunderhead!" she finally snaps.

"Oh…that's a bit awkward," he replies with dread and uneasiness filling his voice.

"No, _really? _That's why I'm in a foul mood right now!" she screeches.

There's a pause, a moment of silence. None of them speak; they're enveloped by raging, baffling emotions and warring thoughts.

"Er, Ari? I have to tell you something," he uncertainly says.

"_What?_" she responds with a _don't-you-dare-mess-with-me _tone.

"Well, erm, I l-like you. I like you a lot," he miserably tells her, hoping that she won't beat him up for telling her.

The livid look in her eyes softens a bit. They seem to cloud over in contemplation. She shoots a questioning, incredulous look towards him, making him think, "Oh no, this is it. She's going to hate me forever now."

Then, she does something completely unexpected. Ariana Katherine Wood grabs the front of his shirt, pulling him to her, and snogs the living daylights out of him. It's…it's like heaven or something. It's wholly surreal. He's never felt something quite like this before, tingling sensations and warmth blazing and exploding their way through him. And his heart seems to by trying to leap out of his chest. It's electrifying, it's _memorable_. Bloody hell, the crazy, wild feelings he's feeling right now have _got_ to be the best kind of feelings in the world.

And she breaks off the kiss just as abruptly as she began it. They both have goofy, lost-in-each-other smiles wider than the Black Lake itself on their faces. An unending, immeasurable flow of emotions and thoughts and feelings are rushing through them right now. How in the world did they get here? What just happened is rather unbelievable, but then again the power and effect of love seems rather unbelievable too.

"So how long have you known that you fancied me?" she murmurs.

"Since fifth year," he tells her.

"Then why on earth did you not tell me?" she asks him.

"Because I'm no good when it comes to this kind of stuff. Love scares me, really," he says with a sheepish smile.

She says, "Same here. By the way, I fancy you too. A lot," and kisses him again.

It all comes down to this after seven years; it's true bliss and the most amazing finish to a brilliant, incredible seven years.

…

They climb onto the gnarled branches of a old, sturdy oak tree. They're watching the stars again; it's become a hobby of theirs besides pigging out on food in the kitchens. He remembers that night before the school year began, that night when they had that still moment. He remembers that day they shared their first kiss together, that day when they realized they loved each other more than they ever dreamed they could. They're recollecting everything that did from first year until now, how much these years in Hogwarts impacted them so greatly.

"Oh, remember the time on the train you told me that your heart would always beat for me?" she murmurs.

"Yeah, what about it?" he asks.

"It meant so much to me, much more than you'll ever know. I think that's when I realized something had definitely changed between us. For the better or worse, I didn't know.. Well, and then the Fred incident happened," she replies.

"Yeah, well I'm glad it means a lot to you because you mean a lot to me. Merlin, I think I'd write your name in stars if I could. I love you, Ari," he says while gazing at the stars.

"Aw, that's so sweet, Hugo. Love you too," she says with a face-splitting beam on her face.

And they kiss; they kiss like they never have before under the soft glow of the moonlight's rays penetrating the tree's branches. They're enjoying as much as they can because tomorrow's their last day at Hogwarts. They're relishing what they have, relishing the wonder and magnificence of their second home that they're unfortunately leaving tomorrow.

…

They graduate on a sunny afternoon, and they're nostalgic. They're reminiscing in all those moments and memories made in their second home, not believing they're on their last train ride ever. They'd give anything to stay at Hogwarts just _one more day_. They feel something tugging at their heart—it's_ sadnesswistfulnesslonging _all at the same time. Hugo and Ari know it's time to move on with their lives, but they still can't register they're actually leaving their second home forever. It doesn't feel real, it doesn't feel like it's actually happening to them. They can't believe _it's all over_.

They finally reach Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, King's Cross Station. They all clamber out of the fiery red train with their overloaded trunks and owl cages and take one last look at the beloved train that had carried them back and forth every year. Hugo never thought he'd really care that much about the train, but he found in that moment that he did. And he realised that he'd miss it loads.

So their years at Hogwarts are _finally _over. They don't know whether to be excited at the prospect of a new life outside of school or to be depressed about all of this.

Hugo and Ari glance at each other with, surprisingly, big fat tears welling up in their eyes. They fiercely hug and kiss and mutter something about renting a flat together. They, of course, still can't believe they fell in _love_ after all these years. All of this seems too crazy and unimaginable; they wouldn't have dreamed all of this to happen seven years ago. But it's been an even crazier ride through the seven years at Hogwarts. But Hogwarts wouldn't be Hogwarts if it weren't full of absolute madness and adventure, now would it?

* * *

><p><strong>ducks pieces of fruit and vegetables being thrown at her**

**OHMYGOSHH, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY FOR MAKING FRED THE BAD GUY! HE JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN THE WAY WHEN I WAS CHOOSING SOMEONE TO BE THE JERK. AND I'M TERRIBLY SORRY FOR HOW CLICHE THIS WAS. I WAS IN A CLICHE/ HALF-AMUSED MOOD WHEN WRITING THIS. ALSO SORRY FOR THE MILLION GRAMMATICAL ERRORS THAT ARE PROBABLY LURKING AROUND. MY APOLOGIES, guys. D=**

**OHMYGOSH, I still can't believe I wrote this junk in only TWO DAYS. New record baby, haha. Ohkay, don't mind me right now because I'm feeling a bit HIGHHHH. As in OFF MY ROCKER. Still can't believe this is a HugoOC 8K...**

**Anyways this is for AMY (You're Amyzing) because I loveloveLOVE her sososo much since she's so amyzing and all. ;D**

**And this is also dedicated to all my friends in the NGF Forum. I love you guys to pieces, and I hope you liked this.**

**And, please don't favourite without reviewing. Or else you'll have a tiny asian girl coming after you with a big gun and screaming at you. **

**And possibly killing you. ;)**

_**~muSicLuHvER(:**_


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